The Toronto Blue Jays are in the final weekend of spring training. Now, we are slowly finding out who is making the team and who isn’t.
Today, manager John Schneider announced the starting rotation for the start of the 2026 MLB season. Unfortunately, there are some lingering injuries from last season and spring training. Regardless, it is still a very good rotation. This will help get the Blue Jays on the right path to start.
Blue Jays Announce Starting Rotation
When Schneider met with the media today, he talked about the rotation. He also discussed how it would be set up heading into the start of the season.
The Opening Day starter is none other than Kevin Gausman, who is widely considered to be the “ace” of the Blue Jays. He went 10-11 with a 3.59 ERA in 32 games last season. The 35-year-old is entering his 11th season in the MLB and his fifth with Toronto.
Starting second in the rotation is their big free agent signing, Dylan Cease. The 30-year-old signed relatively early in the offseason. This was after watching the Blue Jays go all the way to Game 7 of the World Series. Last season, he had an 8-12 record along with a 4.55 ERA in 32 games with the San Diego Padres.
Third is Eric Lauer, who played a huge role last season with the Blue Jays when they were bitten by the injury bug. He stepped up and took on the role of a starter and then, when he was moved to the bullpen, didn’t complain and continued to play very well. Last season, he had a record of 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 28 games (15 starts). This is his second season with Toronto after spending the year prior overseas in Korea.
Fourth in the rotation is their other big offseason acquisition, Cody Ponce. He signed with the Blue Jays after spending time in Korea with the Hanwha Eagles. The 31-year-old was phenomenal last season. He had a 17-1 record in 29 games with a 1.89 ERA. Obviously, that won’t be the same situation this season. However, if he can manage a 12-9 record with his new club as the fourth starter, everyone would be happy.
The last starter in the rotation (for now) is the legend Max Scherzer. After spending the bulk of the offseason as a free agent, he signed with the Blue Jays to return and help them get back to the World Series. However, this time he will have a bit of a different role. Right now, he is the fifth-day starter with a few pitchers out with injuries. But when they return, he could be used as a “sixth” pitcher or more as a “bullpen day” option. This would be rather than a regular starter. Last season with Toronto, he had a 5-5 record with a 5.19 ERA in 17 starts.
3 Pitchers on the IR to Start Season
As mentioned, there are a few injuries to start the season, with three of them coming to starting pitchers. The first one is Shane Bieber, who is dealing with right forearm inflammation with no timeline. This is concerning considering that he had Tommy John surgery just a year ago. Jose Berrios is dealing with a stress fracture in his right elbow. There is no exact timeline for him either. Lastly, Trey Yesavage is also dealing with an injury. He is out with a shoulder impingement. Much like Berrios and Bieber, there is no certainty how long he will be out.
These injuries have drastically changed how their opening rotation looks. However, when they return and are fully healthy, the Blue Jays’ rotation is going to be one of the best in the MLB.
Blue Jays Announce 2026 Starting Rotation